Fluid motor mechanism for windshield wiper systems



R. B. BELL 2,602,430

FLUID MOTOR MECHANISM FOR WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEMS July s, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug, 13, 1945 NVENTOR. Wafer? ,Be ZZ.

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July 8, 1952 R. B. BELL k 2,602,430

I FLUID MOTOR MECHANISM FOR WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEMS Filed Aug. 13, 1945 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l- Eg INVENTOR. )7H/erf ,25, ,Ee/YZ.

BY Y

R; B. BELL July 8, 1952 FLUID MOTOR MECHANISM FOR WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEMS s sheets-sheet 5 Filed Aug. 15, 1945 v ,5, WE L ,lz Z. 2, W l WWW 4 ./WNM -y 2 Patented July 8;, 1952 rLUiD Moron MEOHANISM FOR WIND- SHIELD WIPER SYSTEMS Rupert B. Bell, Ann Arbor, Mich., assigner to King-Seeley Corporation, Ann Arbor, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Application August 13, 1945, Serial No. 610,556

8 Claims.

The presentV inventi-on relates to fluid motor mechanisms, and in particular provides such motor mechanisms embodying improved means for causing the movable elements of the motors to move to and stop at terminal positions which may be at a desired distance beyond the normal operating limits of the m-otors. An illustrative application of the present motor' mechanisms is in connection with the automotive windshield wiper systems. Y

Principal objects of the present invention are to provide `fluid motor mechanisms, of the above generallyl indicated type, which are simple in arrangement, economical of manufacture and assembly, and which are reliable and efficient in operation; to provide such constructions of the reciprocating type, employing automatically operated reversing valve mechanism, and further employing parking control valve mechanism which, generically, serves to reverse the action ofv the reversing valve mechanism; to provide such constructions in which the motor is connected toits source of power through a pair of serially connected valves of the four-way type, one of such valves being automatically operated in response to the travel of the motor, and the other valvebeing manually controllable at random; to provide such constructions wherein, in one form,.the manually controlled valve can beoperated vat any time, regardless of the direction of travel of the motor, and in which, in another form, the manually controlled valve can be operated only when the motor is traveling in a=particular direction; and to generally improve and simplify/the construction' and arrangement of fluid motor mechanisms of the above generally indicated type. Y

With the above as wellas other and more detailed objects in view, which appear in the following description and in the appended claims, preferred but illustrative embodiments of the inventionare shown in the accompanying drawings-throughout the severalv views of which corresponding reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts and in which:

*Figurel is a view in elevation of a fluid motor embodying the invention; n

^ Figure 2 is a fragmentary View in longitudinal centraly section, taken. along the 1me12 2 of. .Figurel i f g Figure 3 is a view in vertical transverse section, taken along.` the line 3-7-3 of Figure l;

f. Figure llis al view in elevation of the control valve, taken-along .the line 4--4 of Figure 3;

ielligures5,A 6,-a-nd 7' are fragmentary'vews,

2 taken, respectively, along the lines 5 5, 6 6, and 1-1 of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the operation of the embodiment of Figures 1 through '7; and

Figure 9 is a view in elevation of a modification of the invention.

It will be appreciated from a complete understanding of the present invention that, in their broader aspects, the improvements thereof mayv be embodied in fluid motor mechanisms ofy widely differing types and sizes and designed for widely differing applications. In an illustrative but not in a limiting sense, the present improvements arev herein disclosed as being embodied in a fluid motor of the double piston type, an example of which is disclosed and claimed in Patent No..2,354,189, granted to the present applicant on July 25, 1944; By way of exampla'such motors are well adapted for use in automotive windshield wiper systems. V

Referring to the drawings, the improved motor IU comprisesv generally a cylindrical housing or cylinder I2, which is provided with removable end closures I4. Cylinder l2 slidably receives a piston assembly, comprising a pair of spaced pistons I6, which are rigidly secured, as by studs IB, to a connecting rack 2U. The output shaft 22 of the motor, which is rotatably journaled in bearings 24 and 26 provided therefor in the cylinder l2. has xed thereon, as by a pin 2l, a gear segment 28, which continuously meshes with the rack 20.V Accordingly, reciprocating movements of the piston assembly are translated into oscillatory or rocking movements ofthe kshaft 2z.VA In the illustrated embodiment, shaft '22 is provided with a crank 34, having trunnions 36,v

which adapt it for connection to the mechanism to be Operated by the motor.

It will be appreciated that the piston movements are eleoted by applying differential pressures in the chamber spaces l'l and I9 between the.`

pistons I6 and the corresponding end closures I4, the space'between the pistons I6 being continuously ventedto atmosphere in the illustrated instances. VThese dierential pressures may, `of course, "be obtainedfrom any suitable source. For example, in utilizing the present motor to drive -a windshield wiper system, the pressure differential may lbe the difference between atmospheric pressure and sub-atmospheric pressure obtamed inusual fashionby connecting the motor inlet '4U to. the 'intake manifold of the associated enginefr f n a .K

1 Inaccordance with the present inventionfthe motor I is provided with a pair of valve mechanisms, having four-way characteristics, and which are serially connected between the motor chambers and the source of differential pressure. One of these valve mechanisms is of the automatically operated type, which responds to the arrival of the pistons at normal limits, so as to reverse the applied fluid pressure diierential. The other valve mechanism is manually controlled, and when operated, serves to reverse the fluid connections as established by the automatic valve mechanism. Such a reversal causes the motor to immediately reverse its direction, and proceed to and stop at a terminal position which may be at any desired distance beyond a corresponding normal limit. In one form of the invention, the manual valve may be operated independently of the direction of travel of the motor and consequently is effective to cause the motor tov stop at either of two opposite terminal positions, depending upon the direction of travel of the motor at the time the Valve is operated. In another form, means are associated with the manual valve so as to render it ineiective except when the motor is traveling in a particular direction. In this form, the motor always comes to rest at the same terminal position.

Any of a variety of automatic valve mechanisms may be utilized. The illustrated valve mechanism embodies the invention of the aforesaid Patent No. 2,354,189. More particularly,- the automaticvalvemechanism comprises a valve seat-50, provided with a series of three arcuately distributed ports 52, 54, and 56. A usual hood valve 58, having a single blind pocket 60V therein, is disposed for movement between the position illustrated in Figure 2, in which it bridges ports 52 and 54, and exposes port 56, to -a position in which it bridges ports 54 and 56 and exposes port 52. The exposed port opens into the space between the piston I6, which, as previously mentioned, is continuously vented Yto atmosphere. The central port 54 communicates through interconnecting passages 62 and 64, with the suction line 40. The side ports, `or chamber ports, 52 and 56, communicate, through passages 66 and 68, with corresponding ports 'I0 and 12, which open through the face '|4 of the control valve seat, associated with the manually operable control valve 18.

Hood valve 58 is carried by a valve actuator or kicker 80 which is pivotally mounted on a trunnion 8|, and which is provided with an upwardly directed arm 82. The lower portion of kicker 80 is enlarged and is provided with an arcuate slot 84 which receives, and is somewhat longer than, the valve 58. A spring 86,` carried by trunnion 8|, bears against the back of Valve 58 to hold it on its seat.

The upper end of arm 80 carries a rubber buffer 88, which cooperates with spaced stop shoulders 90 on the valve block to limit the throw of the kicker.

Kicker 80 is connected, by a tension spring 92, to a pivoted spring carrier 94... Spring carrierV 94 is pivotally supported by meansof a pin 9.8, and is provided with spaced arms' ||l0 which are disposed to be engaged and moved'byabutments |02V carried by the rack 2,0. It will be appreciated that as the piston assembly moves to the left -asviewed inFigure. 2, the right-hand, piston-carried, abutment...|02 ultimately engagesthe' right-hand arm |00 of the spring carrier 94, initiating a swinging movement thereof which-ultimately v carries the. lowerend of the spring 82 past an over-center position. Such carrier movement also causes the upper and laterally turned end |03 of the arm |00 to engage and positively move the upper end of the kicker 80, initiating a snap-over movement of the latter. During the course of this snap-over movement, the end of slot 84 engages the valve 58 and snaps it to its opposite position. During rightward piston movement, a reverse action takes place resulting in snapping the valve 58 to the operating position shown in Figure 2. Both righthand and left-hand valve actions occur at normal limits of the piston movement. The motor is shown in Figure 2 at a stopping position in which the right-hand piston 6 is immediately adjacent its corresponding cylinder closure I4, which position is beyond the normal right-hand limit of travel of the motor, as established by the automatic reversing valve mechanism. Such over travel is caused, as described below, by the action of the manual control valve 16, and is accommodated by the automatic reversing valve, since duringV theo'ver travel, the spring carrier 94- is simply pivoted, by the abutment |02, to a point beyond the point at which the snap action of' kicker takes place.

The manual valve 16 is illustrated as being of the slidable type, and is provided with an-operating button H0. Valve-16 is received and guided in a recess I2 formed in the body of the cylinder,

and the base of which constitutes the previously mentioned control valve seat 14. Recess4 ||`2 is provided with a removable cover 4,*and a springv I8, carried by valve '|6, cooperates with-the cover to yieldingly hold valve 16 on its seat.

As shown in Figure 4, valve 'I0 is provided withl a pair of elongated blind pockets I 20 and |22,

which cooperate'with the hereinafter describedV ports which open through the face of Vseat k'|4v. The lower ends of pockets |20 and |22 are narrowed, so as to provide for varying the speed of motor I0, i

In addition to the previously identi-fled ports and passages, the valve block is providedwith passages |24 and |26 which open through the.

control valve seat |4. Passages |2,4-.|26 continuously communicate with each other through. a lateral passage |28, and also continuouslycommunicate with a chamber passage |30 which leads to the right-hand chamber space I9 through the corresponding closure |4, as viewed in Figure 2. Such closure is formed of two stampings |32 and |34, which, throughout a portion of Ythe circumference thereof, are spaced apart to dene an auxiliary chamber |36. Chamber |36 communicates through a'passageV |38, with the chamber space |9 between the right-hand piston |6 and the end closure I4, passage |38 being dened by a rubber grommet |40, against which the righthand piston seats when the motor is at itsl indicated right-hand terminal position. Such seating closes off the just-mentioned passage |38,v

Similarly, a pair of passages |42 and |44 open through the face of seat 14..

ner described in connection with the right-hand end closure I4.

In'the running position of the` control valve |'|,.Y

pocket |20 bridges ports 1 0 and |42,-and pOk'et |22 bridges ports Hand |24, ports |26-and1x|44 being closed o by the body ofthe valve. Irr'the These Passages.. continuously communicate with` each otherl stopping position, pocket |20 bridges` ports 10 and |26, and pocket |22- bri'dges ports`|2 and |44, ports |24 vand |42 `being closed oi bythe body of the valve. The running position is shown in Figure l, and it will be appreciated that, as valve 16 is.- moved from the' runningposition toward the parking position, thev effectivev size of ports |24 and |42 is rst reduced, by the narrowed lower` valve. Consequently,.movement of the control valve to the parking. position vcausesgthe motor to immediately stop, and re-start in theV opposite direction. Continued movement inthe opposite directioncauses Ythemotor to approach the nor-` mal; reversing point, which it just left. Such ap- .proachl does not cause akthrow-over action of the reversingY valve,A sincesuch reversing valve is already in the position to which it is, normally moved by the arrival of the motor'at such normal limit.v Consequently,-y no reversing action takes y place at the normal limit and the motor contin-V ues insuch oppositew vdirectionruntil -it is stopped bythe engagement of the leading piston It, with the corresponding Vgrommet |455. Such engagement, in addition .to` resilientlylbringing` the motor to rest, also closes oii the corresponding suction passagel. v 1. f

. Itis believedthatthejust .described reversing operations may best be understoodwith reference to thediagrammaticview of Figure 8. 1Inthis iigurathe automatic reversing valve 58 isvv shown asY occupying the same position as in Figure 2, andthec'ontrol valve 1S is illustrated as occupying the running position shown in Figurev l. The motor H) is diagrammatically shown as being viewed inthe same direction as in Figure 2.so that leftvvard piston movement in Figure 8 corresponds to letward piston movement in Figure 2 and vice versa. L

:With thev reversing and control' valves inthe indicated positions,.Figure S, it will be appreci. ated that theleft-.hand pistonchamber I1, is connected to the suction line 4G, the. circuit being as follows: line 49 ypassage S2, reversing valve pocket 60, passage 66, control valve pocket 12b, and passages |42 and |48 into the piston chamber At the same time, chamber |9 is connected to atmosphere through passages |36 and |24, 'control valve pocket |22, and passage 68, which, as previously described, opens through the face of thereversing valve seat'at port 56. vious description-it will be appreciated that when the piston assembly reaches its normal left-hand limit-vof travel', valve 53 moves to the opposite position, exposing port 5?V and connecting ports 54 and 5t together. This action connects chamber Il to atmosphere through passages |48 and U32, pocket |2, and'p-assage |36;- and connects chamber i9 to the suction line through passage 62, pocket 60, passage S8, pocket |22,.and passages |24 and |30. Whenthe normal right-hand limit of travel is reached byE the pistonv assembly, valve 58 is again snapped to; the position shown-in Figures. .1. f W

.- :It is believedto. be'. clear alsoV 'that' 'if 'control From pre-A valve 16' is moved from the running position-of Figure 8 to the parked position, connections esitablished by the then eXistingposition of the reversing-valve are reversed, causingv the motor vto stop and Y re-start in the opposite direction. More particularly, assuming the reversing valve is is the `position of Figurev, and the control valve is moved to the left, to the parking position, suchV actionicauses pocket |20 to bridgeports .10 'and |26, and causes pocket |22 to bridge ports .12 and.

|44. Under these conditions, ports A|24 and.: |42 are closed off by the body of the control valve.

Under the just-mentioned conditions, chamber |9A is connected to suction through a circuitwhich extends from the suction line 4B through passagev |52, pocket 60, passage 66, pocket |20, passages |26 and |30 into chamber I9. At the same timecharna4 berll is connected tol atmosphere through. passages |44 and |48, pocket |22,Yand passage 68:

Accordingly, even though the reversing valve is in a position to normally cause leftward travel of the motor, the control valve establishes connections which cause-rightward travel thereof.'

'When the piston assembly reachesits normal right-hand limit position, no throw-over action ofvvalve 58 results, since it is already in the posi-f tion' to which the arrival of the motor at its righthand limit is eiective to move it. .Such arrivalat the'right-hand limitv accordingly does not alter' the fluid circuits .then in effect, and themotor continues on past the right-hand limit. When the motor reachesthe position shown in Figurefz,4

it is brought to a cushioned stop by the engagement of the piston with grommet |40. Such engagement also closes off passage |38. It will .be understood that piston I6 is maintained in'engagement withgrommet |38 byr a suction effect,v

due to the sub-atmospheric pressure in lineVv |38.

y On the other hand, if control valvel'l-,is movedtothe parking position during rightvvard travel of the motor, areversal ofthe veffective connections is produced'which causes the motor to stopi re-start in the opposite direction, land move to and come to rest at the left-hand limit.` VThe stop at the left-hand limit is accomplished inthe mana ner described above. Y

In certain instancesas, for example', inconnection with windshield Wiper apparatus, it may be desired to always bring the motor to rest at the same 'terminal position, either its right-hand terminal or its left-hand terminal. This, of course,

may be accomplished manually by operating the control valve only when the motor `is moving inr a particular direction. In accordanceswith the present invention, this selective control may be effected by arranging the control valve so that it cannot be moved to the stop position except when the motor is moving in the desired direction.

Referring particularly to Figure 9, the motor shaft 22 is extended through to the back of the motor, and carries a cam 2W which is xed rela-.-

tive to the shaft. Cam 290 is provided with two spaced cam shoulders 242 and 2M, which cooperate with a blocking member Zii, which is slidably guided for back-and-fortn movement, in a groove 208, formed in the motor casing.. A usual detent 2 also carried by the motor casing, co-operates with the blocking member 2MB, to yieldably hold it in either its left-hand, full-line position, or its right-hand, dotted position. It will be appreciated that as the piston assemblyA moves to the left, as viewed in Figurer9, cam 200 is rocked in a clockwise direction and vice versa.. Thus, as the piston assembly reaches its normal left-hand limit of travel, as viewed .inFg-ureg,

Camshoulder '2114v engages. the right-hand endvv 'of blocking :member .206 fand pushes it: to the left fari enough to enable the detent 2'I`0 to lpass vover'the shoulder whichseparates the two detent pockets 2l2..and.:2i4,vvhereupon the detent;2|0 is. enabled From the foregoing, it will be appreciated thatA member 206:1iesin blocking relation to control valve 'I6' so long as the piston assembly is moving to the leftas viewed in Figure 9, and is out-of blocking relation so long as Vthe piston assembly ismoving toY the right as viewed in Figure 9. Accordingly, control valve li can-be moved t the shut off'gposition. only while the piston assembly is moving to the right, Which-action. from previous fdescription, will be recalled as Vcausing animmediate reversal of the piston movement, andwill result in stopping the .motor-at its. lefthandparking position (Figure 9).

In accordance with the arrangement described in; .greater detail .in the aforesaidPatent No. 2,354,189,. control `valve 16 is provided withan actuatinglever 220, which is pivoted to the motor cylinder at 222, Valve 16' is provided with an `upturned member 224, which lies betweent-he.

arm-22B of lever-220., and a leaf spring 22-8 which is; carried by the lever 220. With this relation, it will. be appreciated that a, clockwise movement of. lever 220 is effective to positively movefvalve 76. away from Ythe cam 200, to the running position;of,ffor example, Figure 1. On the other hand, a counter--clockwise movement of lever 220 is effective to move valve l only'by virtue of the. biasingeffect of spring 228, and only to the 4extent permitted by the blocking member 296.- Such movementof the control lever 220 doesghoweven load spring, 228 and enable it to urge valve 16 -to the stopping'position.' Thus, if the. movement of lever 220 takesplace while the motor is moving to the left, Figure 9, such lever movement serves only to load the spring228. As. soon asthe motor reachesy its left-hand limit, however, blocking member 2-06 is snapped out of blocking relation Ato valve '16', enablingY the latter to reverse the operating connections. for the motorgand to cause it to continue to and stop at the left-hand parking position. If the movement ofslever 220 takes place whilethe piston assemblyis .moving Yto the right, Figure 9, such movementcausesa corresponding movement of valve ihwhich thereupon functionsto immediately reverse .the motor connections and .cause ther piston assembly to travel to.. and stop .at the lefthand parking. position. vIt will be noticed .that .as the motor.` travels tothe left beyond its. normal left-hand1 limit, a further movement'of blocking member206, tothe left of itsfullline position,

may be occasioned This additional movement is permitted bytheguide slot 208` which receivesmember .l 206.

V`Alti-lougli onlyseveral' embodiments ofI the; in-` vention-have beendescribed indetail, it willVIV be appreciated-'that various further modifications in the form, number, and arrangement of vthe .parts may be made without-departing from thesp'irit and scope :ofthe invention;

Whatxis claimed is:

l. Inv aV fluid .'fmotor, iirst and second members movable relativeA to *each other back and -forth betweennormal limits under the iniluenceof a. reversibly lapplied differential between 4higher and lower .uid pressures, .a supply passage adaptedfor. connection to a'source-of one of said pressures, 'andA valvev mechanism interposed between said passage vand said motor, said valve mechanism including yreversing valve means having .means .defining passage Ameans for connectng 'said supply passage to. said motor and being automatically operable at said limits to reverse said connection, and control valve 'means operable fat random, .independently of the direc'- tion oisaidV relative motor. movement, 'to reverse the connection through 'said reversing valve pas#V sage means, yof said supply passage 'to said motor.

2.`Th'e structure of claim 1 wherein said .reversing valve means includes an element which is movable back and forth between rst and @sec-1v ond positions in reversing 'the connection of lsaid supply passage-to said motor, said element lbeing movable only .from the lrst position to the 'second position at one said .limit and only from |the second position to 'the Vfirst positionat the other limit, so that a said operation of said control valve means .independently 'of the position of said reversing valve means causes the said yrelative motor movement to reverse and' continue v withiout reversal past the normal limit next encountered after. `a Vsaid operation.

3. In a iiuid motor, rst and second members movable relative to .each other .backv andfor'th between 'normal limits under the inuenc'e offa reversibly applied differential between higher and lower lliuid pressures, a supply passage adapted for connection to a source of one of said pressures, and valve mechanism vinterposed bl-- tween said passage and said motor., said valve mechanism including reversing valve means having meansdening passage means for'cone necting sai'dsupplyxpassage'to said motor and being .automatically'operable 'at said limits'to reverse said connection, and means for'causing the said rela-tive motor movementcto continue beyond either. of said normal limits, including control valve means `operable independently .of the position of said reversing valvey to vrever'seJthe connection, through said reversing valve passage means of said supply passagel to said motor.

4. .In a fluid motor,.rst and. second members movable. relative to each other back and .forth between normallimits under the influence ofy a reversibly applied differential between higher and loweriiuidpressures, a supply passage adapted forconnectionto a-sourcefof one of- Said pressures, and valve mechanism interposed between said passageand said motor, said valve mechanism .including reversing valve means having means defining passage means for connecting said supply passage to saidmotor and being automaticallyoperable at said limits v4to reverse .said connection, Aand vmeans for causing the said relative motor movement to continue beyond either .of said normal limits, including .control valve meansoperable to reversezthe connection, through :sa-idreversing valve ,passage means, of said supply passage to said motor.

5. In a iiuid motor, first and second members movable; relative to each other back ,annifv 'forth between normal limits under the influence of reversibly applied differential fluid pressures, and a pair of serially connected valve means interposed between said motor and a source of pressure, each said valve means having the characteristics of a four-way valve and each being se lectively elective to connect either one of a pair of sources of said differential fluid pressures to either one of a pair of chamber spaces, all the connections of each of said sources of said pressures to said spaces including in series a passage controlled by one of said valve means and a passage controlled by the other of said valve means, one of said valve means being automatically operated at said normal limits, and the other said valve means being manually operable.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said manual valve means is operable only during a said relative motor movement in one direction.

7. The structure of claim 5 wherein said manual valve means is operable at random, independently of the direction of said relative motor movement. I

8. In a fluid motor, first and second members movable relative to each other back and forth between normal limits under the influence of reversibly applied differential fluid pressures, and valve means for normally causing a said relative movement between said limits and being operable to cause a said relative movement to continue beyond one of said normal limits, said valve means including a pair of serially connected valves each having the characteristics of a fourway valve and each being selectively effective to connect either one of a pair of sources of said differential fluid pressures to either one of a pair of chamber spaces, all the connections of each of said sources of said pressures to said spaces including in series a passage controlled by one of said valve means and a passage controlled by theother of said valve means, one of said valve means being automatically operated at said normal limits and the other of said valves being manually operable.

v RUPERT B. BELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENT 

